DOI:

10.24411/1728-323X-2018-14017

Section

Ecology

Title

THE STUDY BIOLEACHING OF SULPHIDE COBALT-COPPER-NICKEL ORE FROM THE SHANUCH DEPOSIT BY INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES OF MICROORGANISMS AND THEIR IDENTIFICATION

Сontributors

T. S. Khainasova, Ph. D. (Biology), Senior Research, Research Geotechnological Center,

Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (RGC FEB RAS), This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia

Abstract

The search and determination of the oxidative activity of acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms taking place in the oxidation of ferrous ions and reduced sulfur compounds is of practical importance for the development of biogeo- technological methods for processing sulphide ores. The paper presents the results of bioleaching of sulphide cobalt-copper-nickel ore from the Shanuch deposit (Kamchatka Krai) by indegenous communities of microorganisms isolated from ores characterized by varying degrees of oxidation.

Their identification was carried out by means of metagenomic sequencing. Based on a comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences for the fragment of 16S rRNA with those from the RDP database it was established that the microbial diversity of the cultures is represented by the bacteria of the genera Acidithiobacillus, Sulfobacillus, Leptospirillum, Acidisphaera, Ferrimicrobium, Effusibacillus and Acidiferrobacter.

The cultures showed an unequal ability to bioleach showing a pronounced iron-oxidizing and sulphide-oxidizing activity. Intensive oxidation was observed in three samples: No. 6, No. 35, No. 49. The maximum extraction rates of the target metals (nickel and cobalt) were observed using culture No. 35 which was characterized by the presence of representatives of one genus — Acidithiobacillus spp., а long period of adaptation of microorganisms, lower oxidation rate of ferrous ions.

Keywords

indegenous microorganisms, mesophilic and moderately thermophilic acidophilic chemolithotrops, oxidative activity, bioleaching, sulphide minerals, cobalt-copper-nickel ore, the Shanuch deposit.

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